Yume
by Miyamoto
Summary: *Contains spoilers* Set when Nuriko is a child and he has a strange dream. Does it mean anything?


  
My name is Chou Ryuuen.

I'm happy, I have two loving parents and a lovely little sister called Kourin.

 I don't have dreams often and I'm not somebody who actually thinks about his future much. I guess I think that I'll just carry on my parent's store. I really don't mind. So why do I feel that my life is meant for something. I love the stars. I'm drawn to watch them and those amazing constellations that lie beside….

Tonight I am restless and I can't sleep. Something feels strange and for a single moment I feel strangely lonely. I suddenly realize how cold the night is. I try and sleep. I can hear leaves fly by in the wind as I wrap myself up in my sheets. I still feel cold and lonely. Why am I alive? What will become of me? Will I find somebody? When will I die? Questions wander though my mind but no answers come to them…

I eventually find sleep reaches me.

I find myself in an extraordinary place. Big and beautiful and well kept… like I'd imagine a ruler's home to look like. The ground is smooth, the walls are of Chinese make and the colours are amazing. I've never seen anything like this before.

I can see somebody standing in front of me: A tall woman with long lilac hair? Calling the person a woman doesn't feel right…but why do I feel that I know that person. To her left is a tall rather handsome man with long brown hair. To her right is a young girl in strange clothes. Behind them are five people. I can't see them properly even though they aren't far away. The three…they are each smiling at me. I feel myself smile back as if these people are old friends that I have known for the whole of my life. 

Millions of questions fly though my mind, but I don't know where to start. I pause and finally ask

'Who are you?'

The girl then steps forward and reaches her hands towards mine 'We are your friends'. She gives me a bright smile and I can feel myself blush. She steps back. The man steps after her and draws his sword, it's very sharp and he draws it with ease. I am at once afraid. 'We are your protectors.' He then steps back like the girl. I'm baffled, why is a man is such elegant clothes talking to me, why does he bother.

At last the purple haired one moves forward and says firmly 'We are your future', she smiles quickly and steps back.

I ask 'I'm not anything important, please, what do you mean!' the purple haired person moves back further away. I move forward 'Tell me! Please!'

Suddenly I find myself awake. I don't feel like I was asleep. Were those people in my dream trying to tell me something? The truth is right in fount of me but I can't reach it. I want to grab at my head and yell. I then realize that my head has moved towards the window. The stars!  
I love the stars. I'm drawn to watch them and those amazing constellations that lie beside…. I've always felt that way.

The next day, Chou Ryuuen awoke and went about the days work as usual. Soon after he lost his precious sister, Kourin in an accident. Hurt beyond belief and cast out by his loving parents, he vowed to live the life that she would never have by living his life as a woman. Years later he met and fell in love with the handsome emperor: Hotohori. Despite having been in the court for a year, his feelings were not returned. He then fell in love with the otherworldly miko: Yuuki Miaka. Knowing she would never love him back, Chou Ryuuen vowed to protect her and her friends and stopped living as his sister. He had finally realized that Kourin had died years back and would never return. Nuriko never did stop loving Miaka and he never stopped protecting his friends. His cheerful and joking manner didn't stop either. He died when protecting Miaka and his friends from death.

It was only in that place between life and death that Nuriko remembered that dream he had as a small child. He felt that he had lived his life well and that his sacrifice had been just. It was only then that he felt peace. He died as his friends mourned by his side to the end…


End file.
